Loading machine

ABSTRACT

A loading machine having an operating bucket for loading, lifting, tramming and dumping earthy materials such as ores in mining or stripping operations wherein the machine has an articulated lifting and loading boom and operational linkage therefor with connecting spaces for linkage cylinders to provide obstruction free bucket operation, and a novel axle trunnion support for smooth torque transmittal on the oscillating rear axle of the machine.

United States Patent [191 Belkovicz et al.

[ 1 Oct. 29, 1974 l LOADING MACHINE [76] Inventors: John A. Belkovicz, 20 Woodland St.;

Ernald F. Mullen, 23 Edwin Ave., both of Claremont, N.H. 03743 22 Filed: Oct. 11,1972

21 App1.No.:296,571

[52] US. Cl. 180/73 R, 280/111 [51] Int. Cl B601: 17/30 [58] Field of Search 180/51, 75, 88, 70,71,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Wagner 180/51 X 3,378,095 4/1968 Sons 180/75 3,426,720 2/1969 Enos 280/111 X 3,481,421 12/1969 Sullivan 180/75 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher [57] ABSTRACT A loading machine having an operating bucket for loading, lifting, tramming and dumping earthy materials such as ores in mining or stripping operations wherein the machine has an articulated lifting and loading boom and operational linkage therefor with connecting spaces for linkage cylinders to provide obstruction free bucket operation, and a novel axle trunnion support for smooth torque transmittal on the oscillating rear axle of the machine.

SNEEI 7 0F 9 PATENTEU um 29 m4 LOADING MACHINE Numerous types of loading machines are presently available with various types of linkage and leverage means for raising and dumping the buckets thereon. Under different operating requirements, different types of boom leverages and operation thereof is desired. Interchangeable bucket and accessory attachments with different pivot and linkage arrangements are also necessary for selected operating conditions.

According to the present invention, there is provided a loading machine with a bucket linkage which includes interchangeable bucket arrangements and pivot arrangements which do not interfere with loading operations. There is also provided a novel rear axle trunnion support utilizing an arrangement of the drive shaft pass ing through a pivot support on the rear of the loading machine to reduce the loss in torque transmittal from the transmission to the rear differential assembly.

The provisions of this invention will be more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following more detailed description with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a loading machine constructed according to the principles of this invention showing a bucket and boom arrangement in a level or loaded condition in a lowered position in full line, and in a raised position in broken line;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the front portion ofthe loading machine of FIG. 1 with a wheel removed to show portions of the drive mechanism and linkage arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIG. 2 showing in solid line and broken line, various other positions of the bucket and linkage arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the rear portion of the machine with the respective wheel removed and the body cut away to show the rear wheel drive train and the location and securement of novel axle trunnion supports;

FIG. 4a is an enlargedcross sectional view of an axle trunnion front pivot support through which the drive line passes utilized in the novel rear wheel drive train;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a'portion of the axle trunnion support arrangement of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5a is a side view of a portion of the trunnion support arrangement of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bottom of the loading bucketof FIG. 1 takensubstantially on line 6-6 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the lift arms of the bucket of FIG. I;

FIG. 8 is a view of a face plate seen substantially along line 8-8'o'f FIG. 7;

FIG. 9is a side view of the bucket of FIG. l'showing the various protective channels therein;

FIG. I0 is a sectional vicw'taken substantially on line l0l0of FIG. 9.

Referring to FIG. I, there'is shown aloading machine 10 comprising a forward portion l2 with a front wheel set 14 and a boom linkage assembly 16' attached to a self loading, scraper type bucket 18; and a rear portion 20 including a rear wheel set 22, a differential assembly 42, a drivingmeans such as an engine or 'motor 24, and an operators control section 26 with a seatingmeans 27. The forward portion 12 and therear portion 20 are secured together with suitable pivot connections 28 with a well-known universal jointed front drive shaft 30 (FIGS. 1, 2) connected therebetween for supplying the driving power to the front wheel set 14 at a forward differential means 34 (FIG. 2). A universally jointed center drive shaft section 36 (FIG. 4) on the rear portion 20 connects the front drive shaft 30 to the source of driving power including a transmission 38 driven by a drive shaft 39 froma torque converter 25 powered by driving motor 24. A rear drive shaft 40 (FIG. 4) conmeets the transmission 38 to a rear differential assembly 42 (FIG. 5) for driving the rear wheel set 22. The rear differential assembly 42 is connected by trunnion pivot supports 44 and 46 to the remainder of rear portion 20 as explained hereinafter. An accessory section 48 (FIG. 1, 4) of the torque converter 25 operates pumping means 49 to supply hydraulic power via hose connections indicated at 50 (FIG. 1) (only one of which is shown) to operate brakes, steering; and the boom lift and dump hydraulic power circuits (not shown) as explained hereinafter.

The boom linkage assembly 16 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3) includes a pair of identical, parallel, transversely spaced lift arms 52 which are permanently joined together to pivot at their rearward ends 56 about coaxial transverse pivot pins 60 pivotally secured to parallel lugs 64 (FIG. 2) which in turn are firmly secured to the forward portion frame 68' at a location rearwardly positioned relative to the axis of front wheel set 14. Such pivoting raises and lowers the forward ends of arms 52 to raise and lower the bucket 18 or other selected accessory thereon. The front portion of the arm 52 is a member 70 which supports the bucket l8at a pair of pivot pins 74 secured within channels 78 (FIG. 6) in the bottom of bucket 18 and defining a bucket pivot axis parallel to, and spaced above the bottom of bucket 18 in load carrying attitude. The channels 78 are formedby the by flange plates 82 secured to and conforming with the profile of'the bucket 18 such that the pivot connections do not protrude beyond the sides or bottom of the bucket profile. With no bucket protrusions, the bucket can'be carried closer to both the ground and the front wheel "set 14for increased haulage stability and visibility overpreviously designed loading machines.

The bucket 18 being of a scraper type has a reinforced straight from or leading edge 17 and a substantially flat loading and dumping surface 19 extending fromthe edge 17 to the rounded bottom 103 of the bucket 18.

The lift arms 52 are made as two separable members such that *the front member 70 of the lift arms and the attached bucket 18 may be removed and replaced by a blade, plow, drill or other desired operating attachment by removal of a series of bolts 18 (FIGS. 7, 8) at a common face plate 88 and substitution of the desired operating attachment. The rearward portions of the lift arms 52 are essentially L shaped for pivot movements explained hereinafter.

To raise the bucket 18 on its lift arms 52, a pair of identical fluid operated extensible lifting cylinders or hydraulic jacks 90 are arranged within the boom linkagewherein one end of each cylinder 90 is pivotally anchoredto fixed frame lugs .94 and the opposite ends thereof arepivotally secured to pivot pins 98 located in the bend of the L shaped rearward portions of the lift arms 52. The location of the axis of pivot pins 98 is such that as the lifting cylinders 90 are extended or retracted. in a usual manner responsive to variations in the supply of fluid therein indirectly from the hose connections 50, the lift arm 52 is moved through an arcuate path with the centerline of the pins 60 as the axis thereof. When the cylinder 90 is retracted with little or no fluid pressure therein, the bucket 18 is in its lowermost position with the bottom of the bucket at the pivot pin 74 (in its horizontal position) at a safe clearance distance of approximately 1 foot above ground level. When the cylinder 90 is fully extended with full pressure buildup therein, the bucket 18 will be at its uppermost position at a height suitable for dumping into a hauling vehicle. In its uppermost position, the bucket has moved rearward from its lowered position but still forward of the front wheel set 14 to maintain required forward reach for dumping.

To tilt the bucket 18 for scooping or dumping operations, there is provided a pair of extendable tilting cylinders 102 pivotally secured at the piston rod end to the bucket within protective channels 106 (FIG. by pivot pins 107. A portion 108 of the channels 106 extends outwardly from the back of the bucket profile to bepivotally connected to the piston rod ends of the cylinders 102; and a portion ofthe channels 106 is formed in the lower back and bottom profile of the bucket to receive the piston rods of the cylinders when the cylinders 102 are extended simultaneously in a dumping operation explained hereinafter. The back ends of the cylinders 102 are pivotally secured to fixed frame lugs 110 anchored to the machine.

The common cente'rline of pivot pins 114 serves as an axis about which the cylinders 102 may pivot with movement of the bucket 18. When the tilt cylinders 102 are in their respective retracted positions, with no fluid pressure therein, the bucket 18 is essentially in its level position suitable for tramming with a load therein. When the cylinders 102 are in their extended positions the bucket 18 will be tilted, the degree of tilt from level to dump position being determined by the degree of extension of the cylinders 102, which in turn is dependent upon the variation in the amount of fluid in the respective end portions of cylinders 102. The degree of tilt of the bucket 18 will be practically constant during a lifting operation withoutneed to change the amount of fluid in the tilt cylinder 102. It should be noted (FIG. 3) that when the bucket 18 is in its extended dumping position, the cylinders 102 and extended rod portions thereof are protectively positioned in the channels 106. The channels 106 also serve as structural reinforce ment for the back of the bucket 18.

The tilt cylinders 102 are so dimensioned that at full retraction of cylinders 102 and cylinders 90 the bucket 18 is in level attitude and a rearward portion of the bucket bottom rests against a stop member 104 rigidly mounted forward of the face plate 88 on an L-shaped bracket element 105 securely mounted on the face plate 88 ofthe front member 70 of boom 52. With such positioning extra support is provided for a loaded bucket in the carrying position.

OPERATION The operation of the loading machine 18 is accomplished by an operator seated at seating means 27 to suitably manipulate usual control levers (not shown) at the control section 26. The machine can be moved forward or reversed (left or right as viewed in FIG. 1) on the front and rear wheel sets 14 and 22.

Steering is hydraulically accomplished in a well known manner by steering cylinders (not shown) moving the forward portion 12 of the machine including the front wheel set 14 about the pivot connections 28 rela tive to the rear portion 20.

' To load the bucket 18, the tilt cylinders 102 are extended to tilt the bucket 18 to a load position, wherein the loading surface 19 of the bucket 18 is nearly parallel to the ground surface with its forward edge 17 slightly lower than remainder of the surface 19. By proper mainpulation of the bucket and forward movement of the entire machine 10, the bucket is loaded and then the cylinders 102 are retracted to move the bucket to a level tram position CC shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

To raise the loaded bucket 18, the lift cylinders are extended to raise the boom 52 about the common axis of the pivot pins 60 to the position shown in DD (FIGS. 1 and 2) parallel to position CC of FIGS. 1 and 2 by keeping the tilting cylinders 102 fully retracted.

To dump the bucket, the tilting cylinders 102 are extended to tilt the bucket about the pins 74 as an axis to a position EE similar to position BB as shown in FIG. 3 with the leading edge 17 of the bucket lowered until the load surface 19 is tilted to about 45 below the horizontal to permit emptying thereof. Cylinders 102 are long enough so that this dumping position can be achieved at any elevation of the bucket from BB to EE (see FIG. 3).

It should be noted that while the bucket 18 is in the position EE, the rod portions of the tilt cylinders 102 are protectively positioned within the channels 106.

To lower the bucket 18, the tilt cylinders 102 may be retracted to level the bucket as in position D-D, or manipulated by regulated retraction to maintain the bucket tilted as in EE, whichever position is desired while the lifting cylinder 90 is retracted to lower the bucket to position CC or B- B respectively, whichever is desired.

The rear wheel set 22 (shown in phantom in FIG. 4), supports the outer extremities of the axis thereof by an axle support 111 on each wheel connected to the rear differential assembly means 42. The rear differential assembly means 42 is also connected transverse the axis of the rear wheel set 22 by a front trunnion pivot support 44 and a rear trunnion pivotsupport 46 in line with the rear drive shaft 40 as seen in FIG; 4.

Referring to FIG. 4a there is shown the fr'ont trunnion pivot support 44 including a hollow cylindrical trunnion bushing and bearing means (described hereinafter) within which the rear drive shaft 40 (FIG. 4) is permitted to rotate with a pair of flexible universal joints 115 and 116 to transmit driving power from the transmission 38 to the rear differential assembly 42.

The front trunnion pivot support 44, (and similarly the rear trunnion pivot support 46) includes as two supporting members; a differential trunnion ring 118 located substantially adjacent the differential means 42, and an adjacent body section support ring 120. The differential trunnion ring 118 is suitably pivotally secured to body section support ring 120 by a hollow cylindrical pin 122 bolted through its end flange to the trunnion ring 118 and rotatively received in a cylindrical trunnion bushing 124 which extends with a close fit,

through the body section support ring 120. The trunnion bushing 124 between the trunnion pin 122 and the support ring 120 encircles the trunnion pin 122 in a slidable bearing fashion such that the trunnion ring 118 and attached trunnion pin 122 may rotate relative to the support ring 120 about a common rear drive shaft axis ZZ. A retaining seal 125 maintains a suitable lubricant on the bearing surface between the trunnion pin 122 and the support bushing 124. The differential trunnion ring 118 is firmly connected to the differential and axle assembly at the axle support 111 by differential support brackets 126 and 128 (FIGS. 4, 4a, 5, 5a) on both the front pivot support 44 and the rear pivot support 46. The support ring 120 is firmly connected to the frame of the'rear body portion by body support brackets 130 suitably secured to the frame ahead of and behind the differential assembly 42.

It can be seen from this arrangement of mounting brackets that the body support brackets 130 (secured to the frame) are supported by the support ring 120 which in turn is supported by the trunnion pin 122 in a rotatable bearing fashion. The trunnion pin 122 is connected to the trunnion ring 118 and by brackets 126 and 128 to the differential and axle assembly 42 at the axle supports 111. In similar fashion a rear trunnion pin 123 is removably secured within a rear trunnion ring 119 rigidly secured to brackets 126 and 128, pin 123 being rotatively received within a rear body section support ring 121 rigidly secured to body brackets 130 behind the differential assembly 42. The differential and axle assembly 42 are supported on the ground by the rear wheel set 22. Should the rear wheel set be tilted or tipped as by one wheel passing over a rock, the tilted differential and axle assembly will transfer the tilting action to the pivots 44 and 46 via the brackets 126 and 128 to the trunnion ring 118 causing trunnion pins 122 and 123 to be rotated within the support rings 120 and 121 and thus permit the drive train including the drive shaft 40 and connected universal joints to run in a substantially straight drive line to insure smooth operation with no losses in torque transmittal to the differential means 42.

Summarizing, it can be seen that the loading machine defined herein includes new and novel features to improve the operation of such machines, said features consisting mainly of:

improving the regulation of the stroke of the tilting cylinders such that the maximum tilting or dump angle of the bucket can be maintained throughout a lifting or lowering operation of the boom;

the boom arm or lift arms are constructed with an assembly using a common face plate to which the bucket is attached to be removable if desired and replaced by a plow, drill, blade or other attachment to meeting operating requirements;

the bucket is constructed with reinforcing channels in the back portion to add rigidity to the bucket and provide protection for the extended tilt cylinders in a dump position;

the rear differential and axle assembly is provided with front and rear pivot supports to permit transverse tilting motion of the entire rear wheel set without loss of torque transmittal from the torque converter to the differential by maintaining a substantially straight drive line for the drive shaft.

Although I have shown and described only a few embodiments of the present invention, different embodiments may be comprised of variations in shapes and locations of bucket channels, locations of operating cylinders etc. without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A loading machine comprising: a front frame portion; an elongated rearframe portion pivotally connected to said front frame portion for pivoting about a vertical axis; power means mounted on said rear frame portion; a differential wheel and axle assembly; a support frame mounted on said axle assembly; forward and rearward pivot means pivotally connecting said frame with said rear frame portion; said pivot means coaxially aligned on an axis extending longitudinally of said rear frame portion; power transmitting shaft means drivingly communicating between said power means and said axle assembly; and at least the portion of said shaft means in driving engagement with said axle assembly being coaxial about said axis throughout the normal operation of said loading machine.

2. A loading machine as specified in claim 1 wherein one of said pivot means is a hollow member and said shaft means extends through said hollow member.

3. A loading machine as specified in claim 2 wherein said shaft means comprises two spaced universal joints and one of said joints is located within said hollow member.

4. A loading machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said differential wheel and axle assembly comprises a differential portion located between said forward pivot and said rearward pivot. 

1. A loading machine comprising: a front frame portion; an elongated rear frame portion pivotally connected to said front frame portion for pivoting about a vertical axis; power means mounted on said rear frame portion; a differential wheel and axle assembly; a support frame mounted on said axle assembly; forward and rearward pivot means pivotally connecting said frame with said rear frame portion; said pivot means coaxially aligned on an axis extending longitudinally of said rear frame portion; power transmitting shaft means drivingly communicating between said power means and said axle assembly; and at least the portion of said shaft means in driving engagement with said axle assembly being coaxial about said axis throughout the normal operation of said loading machine.
 2. A loading machine as specified in claim 1 wherein one of said pivot means is a hollow member and said shaft means extends through said hollow member.
 3. A loading machine as specified in claim 2 wherein said shaft means comprises two spaced universal joints and one of said joints is located within said hollow member.
 4. A loading machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said differential wheel and axle assembly comprises a differential portion located between said forward pivot and said rearward pivot. 